1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for determining a short-term driving tendency of a driver, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for determining a short-term driving tendency of a driver from acceleration of a vehicle and a relative speed of the vehicle of the driver with respect to a forward vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Satisfaction of customers regarding running performance of a vehicle depends on how a vehicle runs and coincides with a driving tendency of the driver. While tendencies of the customers vary, however, performance characteristic of the vehicle is set to one performance characteristic in the same vehicle model. Therefore, reaction of the vehicle may not coincide with the tendency of the customer.
Accordingly, customers frequently make a complaint about the running performance of the vehicle. That is, when the driving tendency of the customer is recognized, and shift is controlled so that the vehicle responds suitably to the driving tendency of the customers, the satisfaction of the customers regarding running performance may be maximized.
Accordingly, a method of learning the driving tendency of the customer over a short period of time and controlling the shift in accordance with the learned driving tendency has been developed. The method of controlling the shift in accordance with the learned driving tendency is performed under an assumption that the driving tendencies of the drivers are uniform. However, since the tendency of the driver is not always uniform, and may be changed in accordance with changes such as the mood of the driver, sudden changes in driving intention, a road condition, or the like, there is a great difference between the learned driving tendency and an actual tendency of a driver in certain environments. Accordingly, in a case in which shift is controlled in accordance with the learned driving tendency, the actual driving will of the driver may not be reflected on the shift and the driver may dissatisfy with the driving performance.
As main parameters for determining an acceleration intention of the driver, an accelerator pedal opening degree (APS) and a change rate of an accelerator pedal opening degree (ΔAPS) were mainly used in the related art. However, even though a situation of manipulating the accelerator pedal is an important reference for determining the driver's acceleration intention, there is a limitation to express the overall driving intention of the driver. That is, in order to recognize the driving tendency in a situation of driving the vehicle instead of a situation of accelerating the vehicle, a more reasonable determination reference is required rather than the APS.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.